1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cottonseed composition having improved flowability and handlability and a method for its preparation, and its use as a feed for ruminants, particularly cattle or as a plantable source of cottonseed.
2. Discussion of the Background
Cottonseed is an ideal feed ingredient for ruminants, due to the balanced combination of protein, fiber and other nutrients contained therein. However, its use has not been widespread, due to significant handling problems. Cottonseed used for feeding has an outer coating of short cotton linters (short fibrous xe2x80x9chair-likexe2x80x9d structures). These linters remain on the cottonseed after processing in cotton gins. During normal handling, the linters cause the cottonseed to clump together and cause difficulties in handling with traditional feed-grain handling equipment.
One solution proposed for this problem has been the preparation of a starch coated cottonseed. This is described in Wedegaertner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,466. The starch-coated cottonseed is produced by spraying gelatinized starch on the cottonseed and drying the coating. However, this process is very energy intensive and expensive, requiring significant expenditures in equipment for its production.
A different proposal for solving this problem has been proposed in a process for delinting the cottonseed by treatment with dilute acid or base, followed by drying, buffing and neutralization. The product so produced however, is not used for feed, but is instead used as cottonseed for planting.
Accordingly, a method is needed to prepare a more easily handled, flowable cottonseed that requires no expensive drying equipment
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a readily handleable and flowable cottonseed product suitable for use in conventional feed-grain handling equipment.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for the production of a flowable, handleable cottonseed product.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a ruminant feed containing such a flowable cottonseed product.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for the treatment and/or prevention of urinary calculi in cows using a preferred flowable cottonseed product of the present invention.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for the prevention of milk fever in cows using a preferred flowable cottonseed product of the present invention.
These and other objects of the present invention have been satisfied by the discovery of a coated cottonseed product comprising cottonseed coated with a coating composition comprising (a) water or a liquid feed product, (b) a soluble phosphorous source and (c) a metal compound that interacts with the soluble phosphorous source to create a shell around the cottonseed, a method for its production and its use as a feed or plantable source of cottonseed.